Agricultural product prices in South Korea are beginning to rise as the current heatwave is expected to persist.

Concerns are mounting that this trend could accelerate further with the execution of the government’s second supplementary budget, which amounts to 31.8 trillion won ($23.19 billion).

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) on Thursday, prices of certain summer fruits such as watermelons and peaches have increased compared to 2024.

The retail price of a whole watermelon, a representative summer fruit, surged 36.7 percent year-on-year to 28,165 won as of that day. The early end of the monsoon season, which pulled forward demand, is seen as a major cause.

White peaches also saw a 5.94 percent rise year-on-year, with 10 peaches priced at 23,638 won.

While the increase is not steep yet, continued hot and dry weather could cause physiological disorders that lead to supply instability.

Among vegetables, prices of cucumbers and perilla leaves rose significantly.

The retail price for 10 spiny cucumbers reached 12,003 won as of Thursday, up 27.96 percent from 2024, while 100 grams of perilla leaves were priced at 2,646 won, a 27.83 percent increase.

On the other hand, prices of napa cabbage and radish, which sparked controversy 2024 due to price hikes, are relatively stable. The average price of a head of cabbage was 3,983 won as of Thursday, down 5.97 percent year-on-year, largely thanks to the government expanding its spring cabbage stockpile.

Radish prices also fell 8.79 percent to 2,127 won each.

The government is determined to go all out to stabilize prices, with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok stating at a meeting of relevant ministers on the same day that “living costs have risen over 19 percent in the past four years, according to Bank of Korea indicators.” He added, “The government will mobilize all available means.”

In particular, the government is committed to addressing supply instability in agricultural goods, which are directly impacted by extreme summer weather such as heatwaves.

“We will secure a stable supply of produce affected by the heat through advance purchase contracts,” Kim said. “We will also continue to monitor the international oil market closely.”

Meanwhile, the Bank of Korea forecast on Thursday that consumer prices will continue to rise by around 2 percent this year.

Although the consumer price index rose by 2.2 percent in June 2025 due to rising processed food prices and a base effect from agricultural and oil products, the central bank assessed that the inflation rate for the second quarter of the year aligned with its target level.

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